LOGINShare
Chapter 14 : Carnival Lights and Quiet Truths
Last Updated:
2025-04-22 21:52:09
Related chapters
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 15 : Time out
KIAN'S POV After the carnival lights began to fade into twilight, we drove out of the city and up into the hills overlooking the coastline. The view stretched wide and distant—the darkening sea meeting the sky in a hazy blue horizon. We parked on a gravel patch near the cliffside and walked to the edge, where the wind rolled in steady waves. Mr. Alcante sat on the hood of the truck, pulling out a pack of old tobacco cigarettes from his jacket. “Haven’t had one of these in a while,” he muttered, lighting it with a flick of his thumb. He offered me one. I hesitated, then took it. Reaching for the lighter placed in between us, I lit up the cigarette, watched it burn slowly before taking a long drag of nicotine. The smoke curled in the cold air as we sat quietly, the glow of the city far below us, the carnival now a flickering memory in the distance. I looked over to Mr. Alcante, who was busy taking the hilltop view in. I smiled briefly, Knowing my old man's actually smiling. “Alr
Last Updated : 2025-04-22The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 16 : Fragments in the Water
KIAN'S POV The sky was ink-black by the time I pulled into the driveway. The porch light flickered once, then steadied as I cut the engine and sat for a moment, letting the silence press in. Mr. Alcante was already asleep in the back of the truck, snoring gently under a folded blanket. I didn’t wake him. He’d find his way inside eventually, like he always did. But me? I wasn’t ready to step inside. Because tonight felt different. Because tonight, she was in my head again. Lena. It wasn’t just her voice or her scent or her smile. It was the way she said my name. The way she looked at me with this desperate, aching belief that I was someone she used to know. Someone she still cared for. Someone she maybe still loved. I recognized her. That was the worst part. I recognized something in her. And yet, my mind refused to hand over the memory. Like it had locked the truth behind a door I wasn’t allowed to open. Not yet. Not until it decided I was ready. I stepped inside the house
Last Updated : 2025-04-22The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 17: A Seat at the Wrong Table
LENA'S POV The restaurant was exquisite. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead like stars suspended by invisible thread, and the polished marble floors reflected the golden light that made everything feel expensive, staged, and cold. The place was too perfect—like a dream designed by someone else. Someone like my father. I sat at the edge of a velvet-cushioned chair, legs crossed, arms folded, giving off the exact amount of politeness required. My phone buzzed in my clutch, and I knew without checking it was my father. A follow-up, no doubt. I didn't bother answering. I knew what he'd say. "Just give him a chance." But he didn't mean Dylan, the man sitting across from me, fiddling with his cufflinks like he wasn't sure what to say next. No, this whole thing was a distraction, a smokescreen. My father still wanted Harlin Rider in the picture. This was all theatre. "You look lovely tonight," Dylan said, his voice pleasant, if a bit rehearsed. I smiled politely. "Thank you."
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 18: What the Past Won’t Say
KIAN’S POV The next morning broke through the windows with merciless brightness, chasing away whatever fragments of sleep I had managed to hold onto. I sat at the edge of the bed for a long while, staring at the worn floorboards, letting the silence ring. I was angry. Again. And for the same reason. Not the kind of anger that came with rage or yelling. It was the quiet, gnawing kind. The kind that simmered in your bones and made everything feel off-kilter. I started to wonder how many times I’ll be agitated because of the person I couldn’t remember. Maybe she isn’t lying, maybe she is. Because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake Lena Whitmore from my mind. Her eyes, her voice, the way she said my name—they haunted me. Not because they were unfamiliar, but because they weren’t. Because they meant something I couldn’t touch, like trying to remember a word that was always on the tip of your tongue. I recognized her. I just couldn’t remember why. I started int
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 19: Shadows in the Waiting Room
KIAN’S POV Morning came faster than expected. Mr. Alcante’s fever hadn’t broken overnight, and by the time the sun spilled across the hardwood floor, his breathing had grown heavier, labored. I didn’t wait any longer. I helped him dress slowly, layered him in a coat, and loaded him gently into the truck. The local hospital was tucked at the edge of the city, modest but competent. A nurse met us at the door with a wheelchair, and I handed over the paperwork and insurance details while they wheeled him off to be assessed. Hours passed. Blood work. Scans. A barrage of questions about history neither of us could fully answer. I stayed in the waiting area, watching the large wall-mounted television flicker with muted news and hospital alerts. The sterile scent of antiseptic made my stomach churn. It reminded me of something I couldn’t quite place. And then something disrupted the quiet hum. A voice. Loud. Sharp. Unapologetically entitled. I turned. Two large bodyguar
Last Updated : 2025-04-23The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 20: Into the Lion's Den
KIAN'S POV The following morning felt heavier than most. I was up before the sun, staring at the gray ceiling, my thoughts consumed by two things: Mr. Alcante and what I was about to do next. He had improved slightly overnight—the fever had gone down a notch, and his breathing was less labored. But there was still a fragility about him that unsettled me. I left a note and made sure he had water, his medicine, and a way to reach me if things worsened. Then I got dressed, straightened my tie, and stepped into my plan. Today, I was walking into Whitmore Enterprises. Not as a guest. But as an employee. The corporate building stood tall and glossy in the morning light. The receptionist, now familiar, directed me to the upper floor where HR conducted interviews. I waited in a sleek white lobby with three other applicants—all younger, all nervous. When my name was called, I walked into the interview room with the practiced calm of someone who had been through far worse. Three
Last Updated : 2025-04-24The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 21 : Her Office, His Corner
LENA'S POV There are moments when the entire world halts—not in chaos, but in silence. When I turned toward the corner of the office and my eyes landed on him, I knew instantly. My throat closed. My heart missed a beat, then another. Time didn’t slow—it slammed to a stop. Kian. Standing there like a stranger dressed in something that didn’t belong to him, yet fit too well. Confident. Composed. Like he hadn’t disappeared. Like he hadn’t shattered me. And yet, his eyes held no flicker of recognition. None. I stood frozen, the weight of my presence anchoring the room. The chatter died. Even the buzzing fluorescent lights seemed to dim. Staff members glanced from him to me, then back again, unsure whether they were witnessing an accident or a miracle. But no one dared to speak. I swallowed hard, locking my spine straight, painting calm on my face like war paint. “Who,” I said slowly, carefully, “approved the hire of this gentleman?” My voice didn’t tremble. It sliced
Last Updated : 2025-04-24The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 22 : Lunch, Looks, and an Uprising
LENA'S POV Lunch hour crept in quietly. I didn’t usually eat in the office—not because I didn’t want to, but because eating meant slowing down. And slowing down meant thinking. Remembering. Feeling. But today, I made an exception. Kian sat across from me at the small meeting table in the corner of my office, quietly unpacking the lunch boxes the kitchen staff had dropped off. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It was... strange. Heavy, yet soft. Like the air before a storm. He handed me my container, his fingers brushing mine briefly. I didn’t flinch, but I felt the shiver run up my arm. We ate in silence for the first few minutes, the occasional clink of cutlery the only sound between us. Outside, the buzz of company life continued. Phones ringing. Keys clicking. The low hum of ambition. Inside, it was just us. The way it used to be. I let my eyes linger on him longer than I should have. The light from the blinds cut across his face, and when he smiled—just slightly,
Last Updated : 2025-04-24
Latest chapter
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 69: The Sinister Plan
Harlin's POV The warehouse was dimly lit, the kind of place where shadows made promises and secrets were born in the silence between breaths. Harlin stood at the center, surrounded by six men in dark jackets, each of them brimming with energy, barely able to keep still. A single bulb swung above their heads, casting long, wavering silhouettes on the cracked cement floor.Maps, photos, and documents were spread out on a rusted metal table. At the center of it all—Kian's face. A clean shot from the last gala, sharp suit, unaware eyes. Harlin’s lips curled as he stared at it."He's too comfortable," Harlin muttered, tapping the photo with a gloved finger. "Back in the spotlight, surrounded by people who think he’s harmless. He’s not. He’s the problem."One of the goons, a burly guy named Torque, stepped forward. "We’re ready. Just give the word, and we’ll clean it up. Silent and clean. No trails."The others nodded, pumped with adrenaline, knuckles cracked, minds already running through
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 68: Let's go
KIAN'S POV The next morning, I woke with a sense of clarity I hadn’t felt in a long time. The previous night’s conversation with Mr. Alcante still echoed in my head, but it no longer weighed me down. It gave me purpose. A reason to act. He was still sleeping when I left the house. I scribbled a note, placed it on the kitchen counter, and tucked the blanket around him one last time before stepping out into the crisp morning air. The coastal breeze was stronger than usual, whipping through my shirt as I climbed into the truck. The roads were quiet this early, the world still shaking off the last traces of night. When I pulled into the small-town pharmacy, the bell above the door jingled as I walked in. The shelves were lined with everything from painkillers to vitamins, old carpet underfoot muffling my steps. And there she was. Behind the counter, the same woman who had helped me a few weeks ago when Mr. Alcante was in a bad medical state. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, gla
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 67: Truth to be told
KIAN'S POV The air was thick with the scent of salt and worn wood. Dusk had wrapped the coastline in a shade of burnt gold, the last fingers of sunlight trailing across the edge of the porch. Mr. Alcante sat where he always did around this hour—a chair that looked like it had been built before I was born, his back hunched slightly, a half-carved piece of driftwood in his hand. I stood in the doorway, watching him. For weeks, maybe months now, questions had twisted inside me like old ropes, frayed and knotted. But tonight, they felt like they might finally come undone. "Can I sit?" I asked. He didn’t look up, just nodded toward the empty chair beside him. I crossed the wooden floor slowly, the boards creaking beneath my steps. When I sat, I could feel the silence between us pressing in. It wasn’t uncomfortable—it was just heavy. "Where did you find me, Mr. Alcante?" He paused, the small knife in his hand freezing mid-whittle. "You know where," he said without looking at me. "I
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 66: Trust issues.
LENA'S POVThe tension in my chest didn’t fade after Kian walked off with Tara for their little discussion. If anything, it deepened, settling in the pit of my stomach like a stone I couldn’t digest. I returned to my office and dropped into my chair, mentally composing a hundred different messages I wouldn’t send.Then, without knocking, Clara entered.She was carrying two coffees and wearing that amused expression that said she was about to ruin me with honesty and caffeine."I saw your face from the elevators," she said, placing one of the cups in front of me and sliding into the chair across the desk. "Something’s up. And if I had to guess, it’s tall, charming, and temporarily memory-wiped."I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Tara.""The one with the kid and the silky voice?""That’s her."Clara took a slow sip. "What did she do?""Nothing technically," I muttered. "Kian bumped into her last week. Helped her son cross the road. Today, she’s talking about real estate partnerships and wa
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 65: Remember.
LENA'S POVIt had only been a week since Kian and I defined our relationship again, but the truth was, the ghosts of his past were still trailing us. I couldn’t shake the feeling that if we didn’t start pulling some of those pieces back together, we’d never feel solid.So I did what any self-respecting, curious woman would do.I brought in Clara.Clara had always had a talent for sniffing out truth, and she’d known Kian back then—before everything fell apart. If anyone could draw something out of him, intentionally or not, it would be her.The bar was dim but elegant, lit by rows of pendant lights and the flicker of tea candles in glass jars. Clara sat in the back corner booth like a queen surveying her domain, her eyes instantly narrowing on Kian the second we entered.We slid into the booth, Clara opposite Kian. She didn’t speak for the first ten seconds, just studied him."You look the same," she said finally. "Except... softer. Less guarded."Kian gave a slow nod, the corners of h
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 64: Memories.
LENA'S POV The weekend air was warm and sweet, touched with the scent of blooming grass and the distant murmur of bees. The clearing we picked for our picnic was wrapped in soft sunlight, the kind of light that made everything feel a little less heavy. Kian and I had barely been official for a week, but there was something about being with him today that made the world feel whole. We set up the blanket beneath an oak tree that leaned ever so slightly, like it was bending to listen. The basket between us was filled with lemonade, strawberries, a couple of sandwiches we haphazardly threw together that morning, and a container of fresh mango slices Kian insisted on adding, claiming, "They taste like joy." He stretched beside me on the blanket, one hand propping his head up, the other absentmindedly toying with the edge of my dress. His fingers moved like he was trying to remember something tactile, something he couldn’t quite name. "You’ve been awfully quiet," I said, brushing a s
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 64: Wahala
LENA'S POVThe water was still, glass-like, except for the gentle ripple trailing behind my fingers.I leaned back, submerged to my shoulders in the heated pool, the pale moonlight splintering on the surface. Smoke curled lazily from the cigarette between my fingers, mixing with the rising steam in ghostly patterns.It was quiet here.No meetings. No calls. No sharp voices disguised as guidance. Just silence… and truth.And it hurt.My robe was discarded somewhere on the stone ledge. The cigarette pack lay open beside a half-full glass of scotch. I hadn’t planned to come out here tonight. I hadn’t planned to think. But some truths don’t wait for permission.They claw their way up through the fog, demanding to be heard.I closed my eyes and let myself sink a little deeper, the warm water hugging my collarbones. My other hand, free of the cigarette, drifted in slow arcs beneath the surface—aimless, like me.The truth wouldn’t stop whispering.They were working together.Grandfather and
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 63: Truth
LENA’S POVIt was nearly midnight when my phone rang.I stared at the screen, the contact glowing like a pulse in the dark: Grandfather.My chest tightened. He rarely called—messages, yes; a carefully chosen word dropped through Harlin now and then, definitely. But not a call. Not this late. And not directly.I picked it up on the fourth ring.“Lena.”His voice hadn’t aged a day. Still sharp, low, authoritative. A voice that could cut marble if it wanted to.“Grandfather,” I said, trying to mask the hesitation in my tone. “It’s late.”“I didn’t call to chat about the weather.”Of course not.My hand tightened around the phone. I was already walking toward the windows of my office, the city glittering below in sterile silence. I had stayed late tonight, clearing reports and re-reading old data. But the moment I heard his voice, every spreadsheet and deal felt miles away.“There’s been a noise in the wind,” he continued, slowly. “About a man. A ghost. They’re saying Kiander is alive.”I
The Lost Billionaire’s Lover Chapter 61: Ready
KIAN’S POV“Where did you find me, Mr. Alcante?”My voice hung in the air, sharp and unwavering.He stood by the window now, his back to me. The moonlight fell across his frame, catching the silver in his hair. For a man who always spoke in steady tones and gave answers like puzzle pieces, he suddenly looked… uncertain.I took a step forward.“You heard me,” I said, softer this time. “No riddles. No delays. Just the truth.”He didn’t move.Instead, he said, “In time, Kian. You’ll remember. That’s how the mind works. It doesn’t take orders—it reveals things when it’s ready.”“That’s not an answer,” I snapped. “You’re not even trying to lie. You’re just hiding it.”Still, he didn’t turn.The room was dim and quiet, except for the faint ticking of the old brass clock on the wall. My breath had calmed, but my heart hadn't. The dream still pulsed behind my eyes—Lena’s face, her father’s gaze, the feeling of falling. The cold that didn’t belong to sleep, but to something real. Something bu
